By the Winds of Chance
by peridotpearl
Summary: After a midnight encounter where he meets a young girl, he loses something important to himself. Later, chance brings him to meet someone who seems to be hiding something painful. But will finding out what she's hiding hurt him too?
1. Midnight Encounters

By the Winds of Chance  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Hana Yori Dango, though I wish I did!  
  
He paused as he stepped out onto the fire escape. Scanning the ground below with apprehension, he sighed with relief. No one was around to see him...this time. He sauntered casually down the steps, wincing as his feet were poked by sharp pieces of metal. Dropping onto the ground, he shivered, wishing he could have had time to bring his clothes with him. He rose to his feet and strode to his car. Where are those extra pants? Did I forget to put them back last time?  
  
"What were you doing in my mother's room?" He felt cold steel touch his back. He froze and turned around carefully. "Oh my god! Find your clothes and put them on, now!"  
  
He started to look for his clothes again, painfully aware of the person behind him. When he had found his clothes, he hesitated. "Um, can you move a little? I can't put on my shirt until you take that thing away from me. Please?"  
  
"If you try to run, I swear I'll blow your ass off." He winced as he thought of what that might look like. He yanked on his shirt, but soon found he was missing a sock and underwear.  
  
"Um, could I borrow...?" He asked hopefully.  
  
"If you think I'm going to lend you any of my clothes, then you're wrong, because I'm not giving anything to you," The voice was cold and harsh. "Just put your pants on. I don't really care whether your pants get caught up your butt or not," Something prodded him sharply.  
  
Turning, he spread his hands innocently. "Look, kid. I don't want to mess with you and I'm sure you don't want to get in a fight with me, so why don't you just let me go and forget this ever happened."  
  
"No, I'm not letting you go. But don't worry; my mom's been doing this for years. My dad doesn't know yet. I'm telling him soon though. I'm sick of blasting guys apart just because they're doing things with my mom that only my dad should be."  
  
He felt the steel touch his back again, sending shivers up his spine. Maybe I've overdone it. I shouldn't have picked up this kid's mom just because she looked hot. He tensed instinctively, waiting for the release of a trigger.  
  
"It's okay. I promise it'll be fast and it won't hurt much, okay?" The gun was leveled carefully so it reached exactly the fifth vertebrae. It pressed hard and molded itself to his rigid back. The person seemed to hesitate for second, then whispered. "I'm sorry."  
  
He braced himself. He heard a gun go off somewhere inside his head. Colors swirled wildly, then everything went dark and cold and silent.  
  
**~**~**  
  
The three sat in a private corner of the bar, unnoticed. They had long ago established this area as their own and no one wanted to challenge them for the privilege of a small table. It would cost too much.  
"Soujiro, do you have any idea where Akira is? I mean, I know he's.out and all, but shouldn't he be back by now, right?" Tsukasa bent forward anxiously.  
  
Soujiro leaned back casually and swirled the crimson liquid inside his wineglass. "Dude, chill. Aki's not stupid enough to get himself caught. He's probably just a little caught up in what he's doing." He caught the eye of a slender girl dressed in a pink leather tube top and black pants. "I'll be right back." He casually sauntered over to the where she was standing.  
  
Tsukasa's lip curled as he watched them. The two slipped off into the crowd soon after Soujiro had approached the girl.  
  
"He's lucky he thought to get a hotel room. He'll be using it well tonight." The third boy emerged from the darkness, where he'd been dozing. "I'm guessing." He trailed off suddenly. Sliding a hand into his pocket, he brought out a thin black cell phone that was vibrating gently. Listening carefully, he nodded. "I see. I will, thank you." Putting the cell phone back, he paused and bent his head. Closing his eyes, he whispered something incoherently. Suddenly, he raised his head and looked Tsukasa straight in the eye. "Get Soujiro. We need to leave right now."  
  
Author's Notes: I know this is really short, but this is just going to be the introduction to (hopefully) a much longer piece. Also, this is my first fic, so please don't flame too badly! ^.~ 


	2. Joined Hands

By the Winds of Chance  
  
He murmured to himself as he spun the wheel around. "Carefully...don't move the hand...curve gently..." He released a sigh of relief. Looking behind him, he grinned.  
  
The man in the backseat was muttering a hurried prayer, his eyes closed tightly. "Please God, no. I swear I won't play any more women, just please don't let him crash the car!"  
  
"You sure you'll be able to keep that promise, Soujiro? I'm thinking that your hormones are going to start driving you crazy if you do keep it." Cruising to a stop, the guy in the front seat swept his long hair behind one ear.  
  
Soujiro scowled heavily, his eyebrows scrunching up. "Shut up, Aki. You know I'm not used to your way of driving yet. It's the scariest thing in the world, so you shouldn't be laughing!"  
  
"Dude, I know I'm not as good as I should be yet. I need some more time. Lay off, okay? But whatever; come on, Tsukasa's probably already in there." He opened the car door slowly, gripping the handle tightly. Stumbling slightly when he stepped out, he straightened. "Let's go."  
  
The two sauntered to the door of the club. Girls stopped and ogled them unabashedly, stopping in their tracks to watch.  
  
Soujiro mumbled to Akira, "We're just too hot, aren't we? Look at all of them! Hmm, I wonder which one I should choose this week..."  
  
Akira sneered. Flipping off a drooling middle-aged woman, he muttered quietly so that only Soujiro could hear. "Let's just go in. I don't want to be mobbed by some sixty-year old grannies again."  
  
* * *  
  
Tsukasa brooded silently in the corner of the booth. Flashes of anger flitted across his face as he thought about the past few months. He couldn't comprehend why Tsukushi had broken up with him. Hadn't he always been there for her? Hadn't he always protected her from the terrors of the outside world? Hadn't he always taken care of her silly fears and needs? Didn't he deserve something better than to be dumped by her? In any case, it should be him dumping that stupid woman. After all, he was the one who had guided the relationship. He had made all the decisions, relieving her of the burden of making choices and he should be thanked, right? RIGHT?  
  
"Yo, Tsukasa, we're here. Sorry, we're late. Aki was wreaking havoc on my nerves, so we had to make a pit stop at a gas station so I could throw up." Soujiro shuddered, remembering the filthy toilet he'd kneeled before.  
  
Akira chuckled softly. "Hey, is Rui here yet? I need to ask him about our table at Tripled Galaxies. Some jackass and his mob friends took over and I really don't want to fight over it, but it's Rui's favorite, so..."  
  
"He's not coming. He says he has to sleep for a little longer." Tsukasa informed them morosely. Tsukasa shook his head to clear it of his thoughts about Tsukushi.  
  
"Did Tsukushi 'dump' you again? She'll come back within a week, I promise. She can't stand being by herself, even though she's always talking about how she's a weed and all. Don't worry, she loves you. She's not going to leave you that easily." Soujiro hung a careless arm around Tsukasa's slumped shoulders, comforting him in a casual way so as not to seem gay.  
  
Akira winced internally. "How can they use 'love' so carelessly? I can't blame them though, I guess. I was like that too, before...but it seems like I wasted those words on too many people and never meant it once. I'm such a loser."  
  
* * *  
  
Fingering a soft green pouch on the counter in front of her, she silently sipped her drink. "Why am I here again? I should be at home, doing something else. I really should try a different club. This one's too expensive and all I ever do is have a shot of two of vodka anyway. At the very least, I should get something else, like a cosmopolitan. I wonder if..."  
  
She flinched. A warm hand rested lightly on her shoulder. "Excuse me. Could you tell me what the bartender's name is?" A gentle voice asked her quietly.  
  
Shrugging her shoulder away, she turned around. Raising her head, she noticed the humor dancing across his face. Dropping her eyes quickly, she brushed past him and disappeared into the crowd.  
  
I guess she was shy. Maybe she didn't know the bartender's name and didn't want to tell me that. I wonder why she left though. She could have just said so; I would have asked someone else...  
  
The girl turned back to the bar. Edging carefully through the crowds, she moved closer so that she was right behind him. Softly she whispered, "I'm sorry." Then she spun around and headed for the door. Hesitating for a fraction of a second, she reached out behind her and carefully grasped his left hand in her own. Then she fled. 


	3. A Careful Blade

By the Winds of Chance  
  
She woke suddenly, her stomach complaining loudly. Running her fingers through her shoulder-length black hair, she yawned sleepily. Pulling back the thin covers on her bed, she crept to the door and peered out into the hallway. Good, no one else was awake yet.  
  
She tiptoed through the empty corridors. Stepping onto the frigid cement floor, she pulled the cord hanging from the ceiling. The bare lightbulb flickered gently then went out. "Damn, I have to remember to change that."  
  
Pulling quietly on the icebox's door, she grunted softly. The stupid thing was stuck. Her insistent tugging cracked open the small refrigerator. Reaching inside, she pulled the small juice box out. Pulling the plastic off the straw, she brought it to her lips.  
  
"What are you doing? That's mine. You know that." Someone tore the drink from her hands and threw it across the cramped kitchen, where it splattered against the filthy walls.  
  
Whirling around, she turned to face the furious man behind her. "No, I'm sorry! It's just I was so thirsty and..."  
  
"I don't care about your excuses. You're going to pay for that, bitch." He slapped her across the cheek, leaving a crimson mark pressed into her skin. He slid the thick leather belt from his pants and laid it on the counter. Fingering the cracks in the rawhide, he mumbled softly, "You weren't supposed to leave me, Saori."  
  
Her eyes widened. Then they closed as she winced in pain. She bit her bottom lip hard as she fought to keep herself from crying out. She didn't notice the blood trickling from her scalp or the man's wild yells of disgust and frustration. All she could see were the tears streaming down her father's face.  
  
* * *  
  
"Does she know what happened? I mean, she'd have to, right? She was the one who did it, not the other way around." Soujiro shook his head in confusion.  
  
"I have no idea. I didn't get a good look at her, but did you recognize her?" Tsukasa, his brow furrowed, thought hard.  
  
Akira searched his memory for anything that might identify her. Then, he too shaking his head, he announced, "No, she was just one of those random girls that I pick up. Or, in this case, tried to pick up."  
  
The three sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Once in awhile, someone would take a sip from one of the bottles of beer on the glass table.  
  
Suddenly Tsukasa rose from his seat on the couch. "This could ruin us, damn it! Why'd you have to talk to that girl? What was so special about her? There were so many other ones!" He grabbed a lamp and threw it hard, smashing it against the hardwood floor.  
  
Soujiro and Akira stood slowly. Both knew well enough what Tsukasa could do in one of his mindless rages...total annihilation of everything in the room.  
  
They crept out of the room, ducking the priceless china vases and pieces of furniture that hurtled through the air. Once out of the room, Soujiro shut the door firmly behind them. "I think you're going to have to call a couple of maids when he's done in there."  
  
Akira laughed. "You know, Tsukasa has a point; why did I pick that girl? I mean, she wasn't hot or anything and if I'd known what she was going to do, I wouldn't have touched her."  
  
"Dude, I think we're all overreacting. I doubt anyone saw that she held your hand for a second. They'll just all think it's another girl trying to get closer to you." Soujiro tugged on Akira's arm. "Come on, let's go get something to eat and call Rui."  
  
* * *  
  
She felt around in her pockets. Growing frantic, she dragged the blankets off the bed. Opening all the drawers in her desk, she dumped everything out. Rummaging through the piles of objects, she grasped a soft object. Pulling it free, she stared at it. A mangy old sock. Crumpling to the floor, she leaned against the mattress of the bed. Tucking her head into the protective circle of her arms and knees, she wept bitterly. "Where did I leave it? Didn't I take it with me when I left the bar? I couldn't have lost it though; it's too important...I can't take it anymore! Dad just did it again and now I've lost the only picture I have of Mom! What is wrong with me?"  
  
She stood shakily from her seat against the bed. Striding over to the closet, she rifled through the clothes stacked precariously on the shelf. Gripping a sharp knife tightly in her right hand, she lowered the blade slowly...  
  
Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews! I know this was a little slower than my other ones, but I promise I'll pick up the speed of the plot again. I just need some time to think about what's going to happen next. Heehee!  
  
Piglet- Yeah, I'm sure it's the right one. There is a connection, but it's kind of hard to see.  
  
Cuppajava, Ruth- Don't worry! So are a lot of other people! ^.^  
  
Toinks- It's okay. It'll all make sense soon enough. 


	4. Defiant Words

By the Winds of Chance  
  
Sunlight streamed through the thin cloth curtains hanging despondently in her window. Yawning, she stood up and slouched to the bathroom. She winced as she opened her numb hand. The blade of the knife gleamed dully in the dim light. Turning on the faucet, she carefully rinsed the blade free of plaster. She pulled a worn cotton shirt from the towel rack and wiped the blade clean. Striding back into her room, she slid the knife back into its hiding place beneath some old clothes and boxes.  
  
* * *  
  
"Did I do it again?"  
  
She looked up slowly from her bowl of cereal. "What do you remember this time, Father?"  
  
"Not too much...I only remember that we were in the kitchen." He trailed off uncertainly. A look of comprehension suddenly crossed his face. "Were you hungry or something?"  
  
"Something like that." She pushed her bowl away. "I have to go. You can finish my breakfast."  
  
"Wait! I know I haven't been sending you to good schools all these years, but Sao...someone advised me otherwise. You can stay here awhile longer. Someone is going to pick you up for your first day at Eitoku."  
  
"I don't need a car to get me there. I'm leaving now." Rising from her chair, she slung her black bag over her shoulder.  
  
He dropped his head into his hands. Why can't I do anything right? I try, I really do, but it just makes things worse. Why do I even bother?  
  
The girl hesitated at the front door. In a soft voice, she said, "Thank you, Father." Then she left.  
  
* * *  
  
She ambled along the sidewalk, stopping once in awhile to look up at the slowly brightening sky. Rubbing gently at the hollow of her neck, she tried not to think of the green bag that usually hung there.  
  
As she approached the heavy gates leading up the walkway to the main building, she paused. What would Eitoku be like? When the people at the last school had turned against her, it had been only days before she started to skip classes again. Would it be the same thing here too? Would Eitoku be just another name to add to the list of schools that she'd dropped out of? Or would it break the pattern that she'd lived all her life- entering schools, skipping classes, leaving schools. Were the kids at Eitoku exactly the same as all the other ones she'd met before, the rich, spoiled brats with fancy convertibles, lots of cash, and expensive clothes? Or would she meet someone who could change the stereotype her mind had set up?  
  
* * *  
  
"Takashi Minami."  
  
A boy with slightly mussed brown hair raised his hand. "Yo, I'm here."  
  
"Midori Aihara."  
  
She didn't move. Continuing to sketch hands in her notebook, she ignored the mindless chatter of the students around her.  
  
"Aihara? Is Midori Aihara here?" The teacher looked up from his class list. "I need to know if you're here or not."  
  
No one's hand went up. A boy in the corner looked up from where he'd been talking with his friends. He leaned over to the girl next to him, noticing that she wasn't paying attention. He tapped her gently.  
  
"Come on, are you Midori Aihara? You're the only one who hasn't been called yet." He looked over her shoulder, trying to see what she was doing. There was nothing on the desk.  
  
He turned to listen to what someone was saying to him. Then he spun back around to try and catch a glimpse of what she'd hid when he leaned over to her desk. A black bag came flying up from nowhere, hitting him square in the face.  
  
"Ow! What was that for?" He pressed gently on the red marks on his face. "I wasn't going to molest you or anything. Calm down!"  
  
She froze. Turning in her seat so her body was facing his, she whispered, "You asshole. You're just like all the rest. You live your whole life not knowing what it's really like."  
  
"Well, it's better than being poor, right? I mean, who wouldn't rather live in a mansion with people who do everything for you?" He joked.  
  
She looked up and faced him defiantly. "I would rather kill myself than live your life."  
  
He didn't hear her or flinch at her harsh words, like everyone else did. All he felt was a chill race up his back...She was the girl from the bar. 


End file.
